Natálie Kocábová (Czech pronunciation:[ˈnataːlɪjɛˈkotsaːbovaː]), also known as Natalie Kocab (born 16 May 1984) is a Czech poet, writer, and musician. She is the daughter of singer and political activist Michael Kocáb. She has released three solo studio albums, one extended play, four music videos, and featured on a number of other projects.
Kocábová received her first exposure at the age of eleven by providing vocals for low-budget albums by Dagmar Patrasová, Baby studio s Dádou (1995) and Vánoce s Dádou (1996), both designed for children. Shortly before her debut release, she was credited as a co-writer on a track entitled "Some People" that appeared on the album Velvet Revolution (1999), by Michael Kocáb, Petr Kolář and Tomáš Kympl. Her debut Fly Apple Pie was released on January 9, 2000, through Epic Records in partnership with Sony BMG.[1] The album was the first full-length record issued by a Czech artist in the 2000s,[2] and featured fifteen tracks mainly in English, all composed by her father Michael Kocáb, whose name also appeared on the cover. Her mother, Marsha, also supplied lyrics.[1] Upon its release, the album was negatively received by critics, who slammed the record, with some referring to it as a shallow marketing tactic from Kocáb and others accusing his daughter of nepotism.[3][4] Two music videos were produced, for the tracks "So Changes Go" and "Mayday", but the constant negative publicity hurt the album's sales.[3][4]
In following years, to protect herself from such criticism, Kocábová focused on writing her own poems and short novels. Her subsequent literary works, such as Slyšíš mě? (2002), Monarcha Absint (2003), Schola Alternativa (2004) and Někdo je v domě (2005), helped to establish her as an independent writer.[5] Some of her other side projects included music productions; she was cast in the musical theatre production Starci na chmelu (2001/02),[6] and also contributed vocals to her father's album Za kyslík (2002). Her sophomore studio effort, Hummingbirds in Iceland, was launched on June 12, 2006. As with her previous release, the record was distributed via Sony BMG and supervised by Kocáb. However, this time she also worked with other songwriters-producers, including Michal Pavlíček Jr, Michaela Poláková and Lukáš Máchal.[7] The album was promoted by a video, for "Neverland", and received favorable reviews from journalists, who especially acknowledged its progressive sound;[4][8][9] only a few critics repeated their criticisms.[10] Nonetheless, Kocábová's second album was still not a great commercial success.
After two creatively calm years, during which she published a novel called Růže: Cesta za světlem... (2007), Kocábová began to take more initiative with her music,[clarification needed] and also began experimenting with other genres. In 2008, she contributed the opening track "Tramtárie" to an all-female compilation Ohrožený druh by Michal Horáček, also on Sony BMG. Starting in 2009, the singer began collecting material for her next studio album. However, Walking on the A-bomb, produced by Jiří Burian,[11][12] was rejected by Sony.[12] After Kocábová signed a distribution deal with music magazine Report, the record was released in a cardboard sleeve on December 1, 2010.[13] Her third album, preceded by an EP of the same name, was well received on the indie club circuit and she embarked on a tour of small venues.
Fifteen track album sung in English with exception of "ABC", "Kapka lásky and the final song "Duch Tarantina"[1] that was in addition attached to Kocáb's double retrospective collection Best Of (2008), issued on Daranus.[15]
Early compositions recorded for Baby studio s Dádou by Dagmar Patrasová, released on CD by Bonton. Apart from Orchestr Felixe Slováčka, "Aha, aha" and "My budeme cvičit" featured also her sister Jessica Kocábová. "Ten tvůj táta" included contributions by Bohumil Kulínský and Bambini di Praga.
A song initially recorded for the Christmas set Vánoce s Dádou by Patrasová, featuring Orchestr Felixe Slováčka, Jessica, Kulínský and Bambini di Praga.
Four tracks recorded during the Za kyslík album sessions for Kocáb, released on CD by Columbia.[19] (In addition, "Urnovej háj" also appeared on second disc of the Kocáb's greatest hits compilation Best Of: Noční vyprávění o mé cestě od kostelní židle až k Pražskému výběru II (2008), issued on Daranus.)[15]
D^ topped at number 1 on the Czech Albums Chart.[21] The set became the most selling album of a music band in the Czech Republic with the sale of 22,766 copies.[22] As of 2011, its total sale reached 35,000 units, while being certified with double platinum from ČNS IFPI.[23] In addition, the work won the Anděl Award as the Album of the Year.[24]
^Kocáb, Michael; Petr Kolář; Tomáš Kympl (1999). Velvet Revolution (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc) (in Czech). Michael Kocáb, Petr Kolář & Tomáš Kympl. Czech Republic: Popron Music.
^"Tři maminky a tatínek". Pavol Bacigál. Px18 System. 2010. supershop.sk. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012. (in Slovak and Czech)
